Sorry for the choice of words in the title,
but it is getting crazy in the car world
(particularly for Ford and GM) and you would think
they would actually do something about it. This month I
want to take a minute (that's all the time I
have to spare, I am far too busy on the computer
side of things lately) and discuss a couple of
Ford's cars from the
Detroit Auto Show.

The Cars

There are two cars that stand out from Ford.
Some of them were in car magazines... yes, real
paper magazines that are on the newsstand... at
the same time they were unveiled at the auto
show. Clearly Ford wants to make a big impact
with these cars. What are they? They are the
Ford Interceptor and the
Lincoln MKR (Pronounced
Mark-R).

I got the images I am using here from
Car and
Driver. I really like the bold MKR. It seems
like they are taking a page from the Chrysler
300 book. And there is nothing wrong with that.
Everyone has taken a page from the Ford Explorer
book and now the Explorer is second rate.

These cars are daring statements. They are
concept cars. What that means is that Ford will
show them on the show circuit this year, gauge
public response, do a cost analysis, design
potential production versions, form a committee,
etc., etc., etc.

The interesting step here is the "design
potential production version." This means they
will have a designer redraw the cars as they can
be built. That all glass roof in the MKR with
the Lincoln emblem designed in will be removed,
as will the cool fluid console that runs the
entire length of the interior. A number of other
things will change to meet production
limitations. And here is where the car will
become a watered down version of what you see
here, at the show and and in magazines.

The public will show a lot of interest in the
concept cars, but by the time they take all the
excitement out of those concepts people won't
care anymore.

What To Do

Build them! I just don't get why they would go
through the trouble of making sure the magazines
could take pictures of these cars so far ahead
of their debut at the show if they weren't
serious about making them. These are bold, rear
wheel drive sedans that Ford is desperately
lacking. It will take at least three years to
see these cars in showrooms. Assuming you can recognize them.

If I was running Ford I would have gotten within
a year of production before showing these cars.
Then the reaction by the public to the show cars
would tell me if I should stop production.
Waiting for public reaction before starting
production puts you so far behind you are not going
to win over anyone's heart.

Imagine working on these designs in secret for
two years. Then showing them at the Detroit Show
in January as concept cars, knowing that you
could have them in showrooms the following
January. You then put the production car next to
the show car at the New York show in April or
the Los Angeles show in November/December time
frame. That would be really cool. Keep doing
this every year at the Detroit Auto Show. It can
work.

There is a saying that I really like. "No Guts,
No Glory!" I am a bit of a risk taker in my
area. I program first and ask questions second.
It has gotten me far in my life. I would not
have it any other way. If you are not willing to
take risks then you deserve to come in last
place.

Ford should rush these cars to production as
fast as possible. Three years is too long to
wait. Heck... Scion is dropping its xB and xA
cars after only three years in production. They
are doing this to show that they can keep their model line fresh. I am not
saying only have a three year run, just get the
car in the showroom within a year of the public
debut. Have the guts... and get the
glory.

Conclusion

Build them... and build them fast. These cars
could be just the thing Ford needs to drive
traffic back into its showrooms. Unfortunately
they won't be in showrooms for years... if at
all. What a shame.